New York

State Programs

Coastal Zone Management

New York State Coastal Management Program. Established in 1982, with the New York Department of State serving as the lead agency. New York's coastal region is uniquely diverse, divided into four distinct areas: Long Island, New York City, the Hudson River Valley, and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River region. The New York Coastal Management Program introduced 44 policies to ensure consistency among agencies, focusing on promoting beneficial use, preventing impairment, and managing major activities in the coastal zone.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This initiative accelerates efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world—the Great Lakes. Built upon the foundation of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, this multi-agency initiative has provided funding to 16 federal organizations since 2010. The goal is to strategically target the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem and to accelerate progress toward achieving the organization’s long-term goals. See examples of NOAA products funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

National Estuarine Research Reserves

Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve. Designated in 1982 and protecting 4,838 acres, the reserve includes four sites that span 100 miles of the 152-milelong estuary: Stockport Flats, Tivoli Bays, Iona Island, and Piermont Marsh. A variety of natural communities are found here, including rare freshwater tidal wetlands. The entire Hudson estuary experiences three- to five-foot ocean tides. Habitat is provided for more than 200 species of fish and other river-dependent wildlife, especially birds. (See handout)